


Not quite

by Amrei



Series: Almost Series [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 17:12:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6479023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amrei/pseuds/Amrei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was doing the only right thing, Rumplestiltskin knew that much. It wasn’t even despite him feeling as if some long forgotten, still soft part hidden deep inside himself was being crushed – it was <i>because</i> of exactly that.</p><p>In which Rumplestiltskin tries to do the right thing and finds a reluctant knight in shining armour for his lady.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not quite

He was doing the only right thing, Rumplestiltskin knew that much. It wasn’t even despite him feeling as if some long forgotten, still soft part hidden deep inside himself was being crushed – it was _because_ of exactly that. The curse was laughing at him inside his own mind, first in all its different voices, then in one menacing merge of all its different bearers, as Rumplestiltskin desperately struggled to uphold his careless strut.

The worst thing wasn’t even his sudden lack of control over the voices he had thought to have repressed to a mere whispering in the back of his mind centuries ago, it was that they were absolutely right: His lady was a weakness he simply couldn’t allow himself so close to the completion of the curse. All the little pieces he had so carefully set up over the centuries were finally falling into place and no idea of a maiden, no matter how enchanting, was worth the risk of failing Baelfire once again.

Not that Rumplestiltskin seriously thought that he would even be able to wake her if he tried – _A coward like you being destined for a princess? A cripple?_ \- but the dreams were not stopped by mere logic, so he had had to go to more extreme lengths.

“What are we even doing here?”

Rumplestiltskin took one last, deep breath, and made sure that his expression was well under control once more, before he finally turned around with a flourish. “Why so inpatient, it’s not as if you had anything better to do, is it?” He made a point of making a deliberate pause, before he snickered sardonically. “Oh yes, I remember, you need my help with regard to a certain princess gone thief. As it happens, you asked for my help with that matter and as such you had better practice a little patience, when I demand it.”

The prince had the good grace to actually look contrite and Rumplestiltskin would have spared an honest laugh at his sheepish expression, if he hadn’t simultaneously wanted and dreaded this whole business to be over; the thought diminished any notion of mirth, before it could truly unfold.

“You are right, I promised to help you with any task that would not dispute my morals and I should not have become impatient, but I simply don’t see how I could do you a service so far from – well, anything.”

Rumplestiltskin tutted disparagingly. “I’m sure the good people of Avonlea would be appalled if they heard such a dismissive description of their fair country, even if it was directed at one of its more remote corners.” The grin on his face felt as if it was burning his flesh, all teeth and no mirth, but he still forced himself to make a grand gesture towards the towering hedge before them. Everything inside him was struggling against continuing, but the magic flowed almost effortlessly from his fingertips. Rumplestiltskin forced himself not to think about what this readiness said about the curse’s grasp on his magic in contrast to his own, as the roses before them came to live, winding apart, until there was an opening wide enough for three men to walk through side by side and twice as high.

“If his Grace would follow me, there’s a lady waiting to be saved.” Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow, before he turned around, leading the way once more and pointedly ignoring the startled question – “A lady?”- coming from behind him. The smile fell from his lips as soon as the princeling couldn’t see his expression anymore.

His treacherous heart was fluttering in his chest like a skittish bird as he strode along the all too familiar path to the tower and finally up the winding stairs, David always just behind him. It wasn’t until he reached the oaken door of the topmost room that it occurred to him that he ought to have let the prince lead the way – _he_ was the dashing knight rescuing the damsel in distress from her fate after all.

Rumplestiltskin forced a haughty grin to his face, as he motioned for David to step forward. “If you would be so good?”

David was quite the picture of a valiant knight as he stood before him, drawn sword and all. He was also looking at him with quite a bit of suspicion, but if anything Rumplestiltskin took that as a sign that the prince was able to learn from past mistakes. “You said there was a lady that needed my help?”

“Indeed, so if you would…?” Rumplestiltskin gestured towards the door once again, and the amount of concentration that was needed to keep his mine disinterested almost startled him enough to think of something other than what he was doing right then – it was not too late to send David away once again, after all. All he had to do was to give him what he had come for and send him on his merry way, it would be so easy… But that was out of the question of course. He cleared his throat. “And there will be no need for that sword of yours.”

The prince looked at him for a long moment and Rumplestiltskin almost started to fear what he was seeing in his own expression, when David finally sheathed the blade again and opened the door.

Inside everything was as it had always been. His lady lay on her bed, illuminated by the late afternoon light, beautiful as dawn – _Oh, don’t even act as if you didn’t pick the time on purpose, Rumplestilstkin! Wanted to see her in all her glory for the last time, didn’t you? Oh you did, you did!-_ and just as fleeting, at least when it came to him.

“What happened to her?” David’s voice was barely more than a whisper and when Rumplestiltskin finally managed to tear his eyes away from _her,_ his companion was looking at her in turn, a stricken expression on his face.

Rumplestiltskin smiled darkly. “All magic comes with a price, I think I have already mentioned as much on a few occasions.”

The prince whirled around to him, righteous fury in his every move. “Did you do this?!”

Normally such a show of heroic foolishness – for which hope would the prince truly have against a sorcerer such as him? - would have caused him a great deal of amusement, but as things stood, it only made his heart sink again. That was exactly the sort of heroic bearing that made the prince so perfect for the task at hand, after all…

Rumplestiltskin simply shook his head, his mouth tight. “No, I did not. I only learned of her very recently and it suits me to have her freed.”

Something in his expression seemed to have convinced David; the prince simply nodded and looked back to her – far too trusting that one, but you just couldn’t have everything, when you looked for a perfect knight. “And what can I do to help her? That’s why you brought me here after all, right?” The prince looked at him questioningly. That was his last chance to change his mind, to think of something –anything! - better, but Rumplestiltskin forced himself to continue. No matter how much he wished for things to be different, they simply weren’t and would never be. He needed all his focus to finally get back to his son and the sheer possibility the lady before him presented was more than he could risk.

“Oh, have you forgotten all the songs you ever heard? I know for a fact that even shepherds know the stories of cursed princesses and how a valiant knight might save them.” His voice was horse even to his own ears, free from his usual impish lilt. “All she needs is a kiss from someone deserving of her love.” His gaze was frozen on her face. She looked just like in his dreams, just before she would start to wake, blinking sheepishly when she realised that she had fallen asleep over a book at the kitchen table once again…

Rumplestiltskin needed a moment until he realised that David had hastily stepped away from him again. Slowly he turned around, his thoughts still half in that far away dream, and calmly met the prince’s shocked gaze. “What did you think it would take? For you to strike at her with your sword?” He snorted humourlessly.

“But I can’t! I wish for the lady to be freed from her curse, but I love Snow White-“

“Snow White? You mean the Snow White who has chosen to forget all about you, that Snow White?” Rumplestiltskin gave him no chance to continue. Anger was simmering under his skin, slowly, but surely burning hotter and hotter. What he wouldn’t give for the chance to try to save her, for the mere possibility to have it work! “Your princess has quite clearly chosen her own fate and even if she made a mistake – She’ll never know it either way!”

His outburst had seemingly shocked the prince into dumbfounded silence and Rumplestiltskin forced himself to take a deep breath. “She forgot all about you – and isn’t that for the better, anyway?”, he asked with a raised eyebrow, once again calm, though still not back to his usual exuberant self. “All your love ever did for the two of you was to make you miserable. This way she can concentrate on fighting Regina, and you can reconcile with George and have it all: you can stay his heir, support Snow White’s cause from the side-lines and when the time comes, you can rule and help all the people the mighty usually forget – the peasants, the commoners, the women and children.”

David had in fast succession gone from red to pale, as he had listened to him and now he cast his eyes down. Rumplestiltskin had him there, just as he had known he would and if the situation had been any different, he would have regretted playing this card; he still remembered all too well the times when he, too, had shrunken away from the sound of knights passing by, all too aware that no one would care if they did something to him and his, times when the tax collections had driven him to the brink of starving, and it seemed as if David remembered, too.

“But why would King George be any happier with me slighting Princess Abigail for her, than for Snow White?” His voice was a mere whisper. Rumplestiltskin forced himself to smile at him comfortingly. With time David would see that this was best – he would not only gain the chance to change the future of his realm, after all, but also the hand of a woman not only beautiful, but compassionate and kind.

“Well, the lady here”, Rumplestiltskin gestured at the woman lying on the bed, careful not to look at her again. “was the daughter of the lord of Avonlea once upon a time. When their realm was beseeched by corsairs she made a deal with a sorcerer-” He halted. “Who was _not_ me, thank you very much.” Rumpelstiltskin grinned tiredly at the prince, but David was still not looking at him, his gaze now fixed on the lady. Good. “But he helped them. He cast a spell over their realm, protecting them from any attack from the sea, but no magic comes for free. In return the lady fell into a deep sleep, until the day one, who could be her true love, kissed her. Her father never recovered from the loss and when he died, a cousin inherited the title. His family has ruled ever since, but if she were to wake, her claim would trump theirs – and Avonlea is a very wealthy realm, in an important military position.”

Silence settled between them and it took long, tense moments, until the prince slowly turned towards him again. “But how can I be the one, when I still love Snow White?” Despite the question, he sounded more resigned than anything else and Rumplestiltskin suddenly felt very cold.

“Because it is not about true love, it is about the potential for true love. I might think you an utter fool and highly naïve on top of it, but you are honest and valiant and she is compassionate and kind – I don’t see who could be a better fit.”

David nodded slowly, before he turned back to her, his face blank. “You said she sacrificed her live to help her people, not only her loved ones, but everyone?”

Rumplestiltskin swallowed hard. “I did.”

“Then I owe it to her to at least try to save her.” There was no joy in his decision and for a moment Rumplestiltskin seriously considered to laugh it off, to declare it all a test of his devotion to Snow White and send him on his merry way, but he simply mustn’t and then it was too late.

During his inner struggle David had stepped to her side and slowly leaned down to her. He hesitated for one last moment, then he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers.

Rumplestiltskin held his breath, heart in his throat, and waited – and waited. Slowly David pulled back again, but the lady was still just as unmoving as before. “It… didn’t work”, Rumplestiltskin whispered, incredulously. “It didn’t work.”

“Is, eh, is everything all right?” David had stood up again and now he was looking at Rumplestiltskin, clearly not sure how to act towards him. With a start Rumplestiltskin forced himself to get his act together again. He shouldn’t have let his mask slip in the first place and now that even the princeling seemed to have caught on, he simply had to get a grip of himself.

“Why shouldn’t it be?” He giggled shrilly. “Though, I’m a little disappointed with you, I was so sure that your sheer gallantness would simply brush the spell away.” He sighed dramatically and threw his hands up. Even to himself the movement felt wooden. “Maybe you are truly too intent on your love to Snow White to be of any use to me here. Well, in that case I’ll have no choice, but to give you what you came for in the first place!”

He almost felt as if he was watching someone else controlling his actions, as he gave David the ring and the accompanying explanation that would lead him to Snow White and back on track to creating the purest version of true love. Well, at least this episode could be counted as another hurdle to strengthen their love, Rumplestiltskin thought numbly, as he sent the prince back to where he had taken him from in one burst of bright magic and once again he was alone with his thought. His thoughts and _her_.

His heart thrummed painfully in his chest, as Rumplestiltskin stepped towards the bed and collected a strand of hair David had left behind when he had kissed her. It hadn’t worked, it hadn’t worked and she was still there, still his lady. He was simultaneously elated and distraught and this just wasn’t fair!

“Oh, Belle…” The name from his dreams stumbled from his lips without conscious thought and he pressed his eyes shut forcefully. It should have worked, he had been so sure that it would – _As if anything you had ever planned worked out the way you wanted it to! At least not anything that mattered! You fool!_ \- and now he still had her and he still mustn’t and he didn’t know what to do anymore.

With shaking hands he freed a hip flask he had half forgotten from  the depth of his coat pocket and took a deep swig. “I’m so sorry Belle, I really tried- but I can’t do this anymore, I must think of Bae…”

Rumplestiltskin didn’t look at her as he turned away and only silence answered him once more.


End file.
